Golf club grip with a hem structure

ABSTRACT

A golf club grip includes a sleeve body having a top cap and a bottom protective rim, and an anti-slip sheet layer extending around the sleeve body between the cap and the protective rim. The sheet layer has a top circumferential margin which is hidden and hemmed by the cap. The sheet layer further includes two axial margins which extend adjacent to each other and which are hemmed by an axial hem structure of the sleeve body. The axial hem structure extends from the cap to the protective rim to receive and hem the axial margins. As the margins of the sheet layer are hemmed and finished by the cap, the protective rim and the axial hem structure, no visible clearance is formed in the golf club grip.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/634,387, filed Aug. 5, 2003, and claims priority of Taiwanese(patent) Application No. 091212176, filed on Aug. 7, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a golf club grip, more particularly to a golfclub grip having a hem structure for finishing and hemming the marginaledges of a winding sheet layer.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional golf club grip 1 includes afabric lining 11 adhered by means of a natural fixative 10 to a golfclub shaft 14, a longitudinal leather strip 12 spirally wrapped aroundthe lining 11, and two coiled wires 13 respectively fastening top andbottom ends of the strip 12 to the golf club shaft 14.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional golf club grip 2 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,386,989, which includes a winding strip 20 made of a syntheticleather, such as polyurethane, and an inner sleeve 21. The strip 20 isspirally wound around the inner sleeve 21 and is adhered thereto througha double-sided adhesive tape 22 which is attached to the inner surfaceof the strip 20. The two ends of the strip 20 are respectively securedto a lip 240 of a threaded head 24 provided at the lower end of theinner sleeve 21 and to the lower end of a cover 23 provided on top ofthe golf club shaft 14.

In order to reinforce the connection between the strip 12 and the golfclub shaft 14 and the connection between the strip 20 and the innersleeve 21, the natural fixative 10 and the double-sided adhesive tape 22are respectively used in the above conventional golf club grips 1 and 2to provide an adhesive effect. However, the strip 12 or 20 is easilyunravelled from the golf club shaft 14 or the inner sleeve 21 after aperiod of use due to insufficient adhesiveness of the glue 10 or thedouble-sided adhesive tape 22. While the strip 12 or 20 spirally woundaround the golf club shaft 14 or the inner sleeve 21 can improve thesecuring of the strip 12 or 20 to the golf club shaft 14 or the innersleeve 21, the grip 1 or 2 suffers from the following drawbacks:

-   -   1. The operation of winding the strip 12 or 20 is difficult and        requires a certain level of skill. Careful attention must be        paid for conducting the winding operation. Otherwise, the strips        12, 20 can become loosened and clearances can be formed between        adjacent turns of the strip 12 or 20.    -   2. Since the strip 12 or 20 is wound spirally, it can not        provide a grip surface which is as smooth as that formed by a        single-turn winding sheet wrapped around a golf club shaft. The        grip surface resulting from the spirally winding strip 12 or 20        is unable to provide a good feel of comfort.

In view of the aforesaid drawbacks, the inventor of this application hasdeveloped a sleeve-on type grip 3, as shown in FIG. 6. The grip 3 isformed as a multi-layered structure which includes a base layer 30 madeof a close-cell foam and an anti-slip face layer 31 attached to the baselayer 30. The anti-slip face layer 31 is bonded to the base layer 30 byusing a high adhesion strength cement 32 (such as a polychloropreneresin, an adhesive alloy, etc.). The base layer 30 is a molded tubularlining sleeve, whereas the anti-slip face layer 31 is formed bytailoring a sheeting material.

The grip 3 formed as such can alleviate the problems encountered by theconventional grips 1 and 2. However, as the base layer 30 is molded intoa tubular lining sleeve and as the shrinkage of the lining sleeve of thebase layer 30 varies due to the change in temperature, material, andother parameters of the processing steps, such as forming, moldreleasing, drying, etc., the dimension of the base layer 30 tends todeviate from the predetermined dimension thereof. Such a dimensionaldeviation can produce a clearance between the top end of the anti-slipface layer 31 and a cap 33 formed on top of the base layer 30. Thisaffects adversely the appearance and quality of the golf club grip 3.

In addition, although the face layer 31 can be bonded effectively to thebase layer 30 because of the use of the high adhesion strength cement,e.g. a polychloroprene resin, the cement, after being hardened, tends toreduce the extensibility of the grip 3. Owing to the insufficientextensibility of the grip 3, when a golf club shaft 4 is inserted intothe grip 3, the grip 3 tends to burst at its axial seam 35 due to theinsertion of the golf club shaft 4 which forces the grip 3 to expand.Moreover, it is difficult to sleeve the grip 3 over the golf club shaft4 because of the insufficient extensibility of the grip 3.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf club gripincluding an anti-slip sheet layer which has margins hemmed and finishedto prevent formation of visible clearance, thereby alleviating theproblem of defective products due to the clearances formed at themarginal edges thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club gripwith a simple construction for hemming and finishing an anti-slip sheetlayer.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a golf clubgrip which is not only easy to be sleeved over a golf club shaft butalso is sufficiently expandable to eliminate of the problem that thegrip tends to burst at its seam when being sleeved over the golf clubshaft.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a golf club gripcomprises: a lining sleeve which includes a sleeve body having top andbottom ends, a cap projecting radially from the top end, and aprotective rim projecting radially from the bottom end, the cap beingformed with an annular recess; an anti-slip sheet layer extending aroundthe lining sleeve between the cap and the protective rim, the sheetlayer having top and bottom circumferential margins, the topcircumferential margin being fitted within the annular recess so as tobe hemmed and hidden by a portion of the cap, the bottom circumferentialmargin being in abutment with the protective rim.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a golf club gripcomprises: a lining sleeve which includes a sleeve body having top andbottom ends, a cap projecting radially from the top end, and aprotective rim projecting radially from the bottom end; an anti-slipsheet layer extending around the lining sleeve between the cap and theprotective rim, the sheet layer having top and bottom circumferentialmargins respectively proximate to the cap and the protective rim, andtwo axial margins which interconnect said top and bottom circumferentialmargins and which extend adjacent to each other; and a hem structureextending axially from the cap to the protective rim along the axialmargins, wherein the axial margins of the sheet layer are received inand finished by the hem structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional golf club grip;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the conventional golf club grip ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another conventional golf club grip;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the golf club grip of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the golf club grip of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of still another conventional golf club grip;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the golf club grip of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is another sectional view of the golf club grip of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of a golf club gripaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a golf club gripaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a third embodiment of a golf club gripaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the third embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a golf club gripaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a sixth embodiment;

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the fifth or sixth embodiment; and

FIG. 19 illustrates the fabrication of the sixth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be illustrated with reference to FIGS. 9 to19, wherein like elements are represented by like reference numerals.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a first embodiment of the present inventionincludes a golf club grip 5 mountable on one end of a golf club shaft14. The golf club grip 5 includes an inner lining sleeve 6 and ananti-slip sheet layer 7 made of a sheeting material.

The inner lining sleeve 6 has an inner surface 63 surrounding the golfclub shaft 14 and is made of a resilient polymeric material such as arubber, a rubber compound, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), athermoplastic rubber (TPR), or any suitable plastic, or a close-celledfoam of a plastic or rubber. The lining sleeve material is formed into ahollow tubular body through a molding process. In particular, the liningsleeve 6 includes a sleeve body 60 with top and bottom ends respectivelyprovided with a cap 61 and a protective rim 62. The cap 61 is annular,and projects radially from the top end of the sleeve body 60, and has afirst skirt part 611 projecting downward from a peripheral end of thecap 61 and confining an annular recess 610 around the sleeve body 60.

The anti-slip sheet layer 7 is made of a sheeting material which may benatural leather, a synthetic leather, a PU leather, a fabric or afibrous material and is formed by tailoring the sheeting material. Theanti-slip sheet layer 7 is bonded to the outer surface 64 of the innerlining sleeve 6 through a bonding layer 8 including a high adhesionstrength cement such as that made from a polychloroprene polymer.

In assembly, a bottom circumferential margin 71 of the anti-slip sheetlayer 7 abuts against the protective rim 62, whereas a topcircumferential margin 70 thereof is received within the annular recess610 of the cap 61. The cap 61 and the protective rim 62 serve to hem andfinish top and bottom circumferential margins 70 and 71 of the sheetlayer 7. In case the axial dimension of the lining sleeve 6 deviatesfrom its predetermined dimension so that the axial dimension of thesheet layer 7 is shorter than the distance between the cap 61 and theprotective rim 62, there may be a clearance 72 between the top margin 70of the anti-slip sheet layer 7 and the cap 61 when the sheet layer 7 isassembled around the sleeve body 60. In this situation, even if thewidth of the clearance 72 is up to 2 mm, the clearance 72 can be coveredand hidden by the first skirt part 611 of the cap 61 so that noclearance can be seen in the grip 5. Therefore, the clearance problemthat leads to defects in the appearance of the golf club grip 5 asencountered in the prior art is alleviated. The hemming and finishing ofthe top and bottom circumferential margins 70 and 71 of the anti-slipsheet layer 7 as such is easy to accomplish. This increases the rate ofproduction of good quality products and reduces the amount of defectiveproducts, thereby lowering the cost of production.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the second embodiment of the presentinvention is substantially similar to the first embodiment except thatthe protective rim 62 of the sleeve body 60 is provided with a secondskirt part 621 which projects axially toward the cap 61 from the outerperiphery of the protectively rim 62, and a second annular recess 620confined by the second skirt 621 and the outer surface of the sleevebody 60. As compared with the first embodiment, the construction of thesecond embodiment permits more dimensional tolerance for manufacturingthe lining sleeve 6. If the axial dimension of the sleeve body 60deviates from its standard dimension by more than 2 mm, the axialdimension of the sheet layer 7 would be more than 2 mm shorter than thedistance between the cap 61 and the protective rim 62. By arranging thetop and bottom circumferential margins 70 and 71 of the sheet layer 7 tobe spaced respectively from the cap 61 and the protective rim 62 with aclearance which ranges up to 2-3 mm, the clearance may be hidden and thetop and bottom circumferential margins 70, 71 may be hemmed and finishedby the first and second skirt parts 611 and 621.

Referring to FIG. 13, a third embodiment of the present invention issubstantially similar to the second embodiment except that the sleevebody 60 is provided an axial hem structure 9 extending from the cap 61to the protective rim 62. Together with the outer surface of the sleevebody 60, the hem structure 9 confines an axial receiving space (which isdetailed hereinafter) to receive two axial margins 74, 75 of theanti-slip sheet layer 7, which are placed adjacent to each other.Preferably, the axial hem structure 9 is connected between and is moldedintegrally with the cap 61 and the protective rim 62.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 14, the hem structure 9 includes anaxial rib 90 which has a substantially T-shaped cross-section and whichprojects radially from the outer surface of the sleeve body 60 andextends axially from the cap 61 to the protective rim 62. A pair offlanges 91 project from the distal end of the axial rib 90 in oppositecircumferential directions and are respectively connected to the firstand second skirt parts 611 and 621. The axial receiving space of the hemstructure 9 is composed of two axial cavities 92 respectively defined attwo sides of the axial rib 90 by the flanges 91. In assembly, the axialmargins 74, 75 of the anti-slip sheet layer 7 are inserted respectivelyinto the axial cavities 92 so that the axial margins 74, 75 are hiddenand hemmed respectively by the flanges 91. Preferably, the thickness ofthe axial margins 74, 75 is reduced so as to be smaller than that of theremaining part of the anti-slip sheet layer 7. This can be done byhot-pressing, embossing or stitching the axial margins 74, 75 of thesheet layer 7. As the thickness of the axial margins 74, 75 is small,insertion of the axial margins 74, 75 into the cavities 92 can befacilitated. Furthermore, since the axial margins 74, 75 are thinnerthan the remaining part of the sheet layer 7, the joining of the sheetlayer 7 with the flanges 91 can be smooth and neat. In addition, sincethe hem structure 9 is integrally molded with the sleeve body 60, theextension characteristic of the hem structure 9 is the same as that ofthe sleeve body 60. Therefore, when the grip 5 is sleeved onto the golfclub shaft 14 and when the grip 5 is forced to expand by the body of thegolf club shaft 14, the hem structure 9 can effectively receive theaxial margins 74, 75 so that no clearance will be exposed from the hemstructure 9. Furthermore, the grip 5 is easy to assemble.

The sleeve body 60 in the present invention is not limited only to onesingle hem structure 9. Referring to FIG. 15, in the fourth embodimentof the present invention, the sleeve body 60 is provided with two hemstructures 9 which are diametrically opposed. In this embodiment, twoanti-slip sheet layers 7′ are provided around the sleeve body 60. Eachsheet layer 7′ extends between the two hem structures 9 and has twoaxial margins 74, 75 respectively received and hemmed by the two hemstructures 9. The total area of the two sheet layers 7′ is substantiallysimilar to the area of the single sheet layer 7 of the third embodiment.

In order to achieve an effect of easy hemming and finishing the margins74, 75 of the sheet layer 7, the present invention may also utilize theconstructions of fifth and sixth preferred embodiments as shown in FIGS.16 and 17, in addition to the third and fourth embodiments. The fifthand sixth embodiments are provided based on the constructions of thefirst and second embodiments. However, the material of the sheet layer 7is limited to a PU synthetic leather, and the thickness thereof ispreferably about 1.2 mm−1.8 mm.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, grips 5′ are provided respectively in thefifth and sixth preferred embodiments of the present invention. Eachgrip 5′ includes a hem structure which includes a seam straightening rib90′ extending axially from a cap 61 and a protective rim 62 andprojecting radially and slightly from the outer surface 64 of the sleevebody 60.

As shown in FIG. 18, the seam straightening rib 90′ is located betweenthe cap 61 and the protective rim 62 so that the two axial margins 74,75 meet each other along a straight line defined by the seamstraightening rib 90′. An axial seam 77 is thus defined by the axialmargins 74, 75. A hemming strip 91′ in the fifth embodiment is bondedonto the outer surface of the sheet layer 7 along the seam 77 to finishthe seam 77. Or, a hemming strip 91″ in the sixth embodiment is insetbonded within the hem receiving groove 92″ to finish the seam 77 (whichis detailed hereinafter).

Referring to FIG. 16, the hemming strip 91′ in the fifth embodiment maybe prepared and assembled on the sheet layer 7 through high frequencyheat cutting, hot pressing and bonding processes. In particular, a TPUor PVC sheet which is 0.15 mm-0.3 mm thick is first coated at its backside with a cement and then placed over the seam 77 and the axialmargins 74, 75 of the sheet layer 7. Then, a high frequency die which issubstantially U-shaped in cross section and which has axial dimensionsconforming to the axial dimensions of the grip 5′ at the seam 77 is usedto heat cut and hot press the TPU or PVC sheet at an instantaneousheating temperature of about 150° C. The temperature varies dependingupon the sheet material and the operating machine. The hemming strip 91′with a width of about 4 mm is therefore formed. The hemming strip 91′ isthen bonded onto the outer surface of the sheet layer 7 along the seam77 through a bonding process.

Referring to FIG. 17, the hemming strip 91″ in the sixth embodiment maybe prepared and bonded to the anti-slip sheet layer 7 through a hotpressing process followed by an inset bonding process. First, the twoaxial margins 74, 75 of the sheet layer 7 are hot pressed to form theL-shaped corners. Then, the axial margins 74, 75 are aligned along astraight line defined the seam straightening rib 90′. The hem receivinggroove 92′ is therefore formed along and above the seam straighteningrib 90′, as shown in FIG. 19. The hemming strip 91″ is prepared from asheet material with a back side thereof coated with the cement. Thesheet material is hot pressed and heat cut instantaneously through ahigh frequency die to form a strip which has an axial length similar tothe distance between the cap 61 and the protective rim 62 and which hasa thickness of about 0.15-0.4 mm and a width of about 4 mm. The sheetmaterial may be TPU, PVC or PU leather. A PU leather which is about 0.4mm thick is preferred.

The hemming strip 91″, which has been coated with the cement asmentioned above, is placed over the hem receiving groove 92′. Then, ahigh frequency die with a heated die, which is substantially U-shaped incross section and which has axial dimensions conforming to the axialdimensions of the grip 5′ at the seam 77, is used to inset bond thehemming strip 91″ within the hem receiving groove 92′.

In order to facilitate the hot pressing operations performed inassembling the hemming strip 91′ or 91″, the sleeve body 60 of the grip5′ is sleeved over a rod body (A) which provides a supporting force tothe sleeve body 60.

When the grip 5′ is sleeved over a golf club shaft, the grip 5′ will beforced to expand by the golf club shaft. Although the bonding force ofthe bonding layer 8 is the weakest at the seam 77, the incidence ofbursting the seam 77 can be prevented by the hemming strip 91′ or 91″.By fabricating the hemming strip 91′ or 91″ with a stretchable materialsuch as PVC, TPU, or PU leather to increase the stretchyness of the seam77 and by overlying the hemming strip 91′ or 91″ on the seam 77, thegrip 5′ will not burst at the seam 77. A smooth surface can bemaintained at the surface of the seam 77.

Furthermore, as the hemming strip 91′ of the fifth embodiment is merely0.15 mm-0.3 mm thick and is subjected to a high frequency heat sealingtreatment, the presence of the hemming strip 91′ will not cause theouter appearance of the grip 5′ to change from the traditional form orshape of a golf club grip. In the sixth embodiment, because the hemmingstrip 91″ is received in the hem receiving groove 92′, the grip 5′ canmaintain the traditional shape or form of a golf club grip.

In conclusion, the present invention alleviates the clearance problemencountered by the sheet layer 7 due to the manufacturing tolerance ofthe lining sleeve 6. Since the margins 70, 71, 74 and 75 of the sheetlayer 7 are hemmed and finished, no visible clearance is present in thegrips 5 and 5′. Accordingly, the rate of the production of the grips 5,5′ is therefore increased and the production cost thereof is reduced.Furthermore, it is easy to hem and finish the sheet layer 7 by finishingor hiding the margins 70, 71, 74 and 75 thereof with the cap 61, theprotective rim, and the hem structure 9 or the hemming strips 91′, 91″.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A golf club grip, comprising: a lining sleeve which includes a sleevebody having top and bottom ends, a cap projecting radially from said topend, a protective rim projecting radially from said bottom end, a firstskirt part projecting axially from said cap toward said protective rim,an annular recess defined by said cap and said first skirt part, asecond skirt part projecting axially from said protective rim towardsaid cap, and an additional annular recess defined by said protectiverim and said second skirt part; and an anti-slip sheet layer extendingaround said lining sleeve between said cap and said protective rim, saidsheet layer including top and bottom circumferential margins and twoaxial margins which extend from said top circumferential margin to saidbottom circumferential margin and which are adjacent to each other, saidtop circumferential margin being received in said annular recess of saidcap, said bottom circumferential margin being received in saidadditional annular recess of said protective rim.